Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Vancouver

For one person, living costs are similar in Lowell, MA and in Vancouver: $2,689 and $2,662 a month, rent and utilities included.

129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
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Lowell, MA Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index

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Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,662

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lowell, MA and in Vancouver

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lowell, MA and in Vancouver actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Lowell, MA vs $2,662 in Vancouver, rent included.

Lowell, MA $2,689
Vancouver $2,662

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in Lowell, MA vs $3,916 in Vancouver, rent included.

Lowell, MA $4,243
Vancouver $3,916

A family of three spends $5,797 per month in Lowell, MA vs $5,170 in Vancouver, rent included.

Lowell, MA $5,797
Vancouver $5,170

Lowell, MA costs about 1% more than Vancouver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Lowell, MA and Vancouver sit above the global median – Lowell, MA by 98%, Vancouver by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$18.01 CA$25.46

0.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$71.0 CA$100

-2.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$10.83 CA$15.31

-14.68%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$3.94 CA$5.56

24.37%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.13 CA$3.01

-5.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.66 CA$2.34

-0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$5.73 CA$8.10

-13.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.40 CA$9.04

28.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.15 CA$3.04

-62.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.55 CA$3.61

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$4.56 CA$6.45

15.79%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.06 CA$5.74

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$12.14 CA$17.17

-8.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$13.23 CA$18.71

-32.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$20.24 CA$28.62

-13.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.05 CA$5.73

-32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.42 CA$2.00

-14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$3.97 CA$5.62

71.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.91 CA$5.53

41.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$2.64 CA$3.74

-36.74%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.82 CA$3.98

57.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.48 CA$3.51

21.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.59 CA$2.24

38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$15.30 CA$21.64

-9.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$14.32 CA$20.24

-6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.57 CA$3.63

-32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.91 CA$4.12

43.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.55 CA$3.60

-29.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 $55.2

$84.6 CA$120

-34.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.64 CA$3.73

53.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.63 CA$2.31

7.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$31.77 CA$44.91

-7.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.42 CA$2.01

-40.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.7K $27.7K

$27.1K CA$38.3K

2.15%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K $26.5K

$21.6K CA$30.5K

22.85%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$186 $186

$81.3 CA$115

128.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$51.6 $51.6

$37.20 CA$52.6

38.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$52.6 CA$74.4

27.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.07 $40.07

$44.34 CA$62.7

-9.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 $12.45

$12.37 CA$17.49

0.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$12.62 CA$17.85

11.33%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,410 $1,410

$1,093 CA$1,544

29.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$20.0K CA$28.2K

48.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$58.5 CA$82.7

-1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$33.35 CA$47.14

13.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$96.3 CA$136

-17.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 $70.2

$95.6 CA$135

-26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$1,765 CA$2,495

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$1,508 CA$2,132

-2.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,728 $3,728

$3,122 CA$4,414

19.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,116 $3,116

$2,469 CA$3,490

26.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,460 $3,460

$8,173 CA$11.6K

-57.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,536 $3,536

$6,354 CA$8,982

-44.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$3,592 CA$5,078

10.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

4.28

42.52%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Vancouver: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8%

Vancouver

$1.5K 56.7% 2.3% $35

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8%

Vancouver

$399 15% 7.9% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3%

Vancouver

$171 6.4% 43.8% $133

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7%

Vancouver

$280 10.5% 2.4% $6.8

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1%

Vancouver

$128 4.8% 15.8% $17

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8%

Vancouver

$106 4% 40.4% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5%

Vancouver

$70 2.6% 2.1% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,620 in Lowell, MA versus $1,765 in Vancouver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Lowell, MA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Lowell, MA versus $71.0 in Vancouver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $370 vs $399 – making Lowell, MA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🕒 Local time

01:57 1:57 AM

22:57 10:57 PM

3 h behind Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

631,486

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lowell, MA Vancouver 3,990 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Lowell, MA
Vancouver

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lowell, MA vs Vancouver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lowell, MA is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,033 per month in Lowell, MA and $3,992 in Vancouver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vancouver, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 53% less in Vancouver. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,410 per month in Lowell, MA and $1,093 in Vancouver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,689 in Lowell, MA and $2,662 in Vancouver. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Vancouver – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Vancouver. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lowell, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.